Manresa Restaurant Review

: Nestled at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains in the quaint town of Los Gatos, Manresa showcases chef David Kinch's hyper-meditated, progressive cuisine du terroir. Each evening, a tasting menu ($235) is available, with the option of beverage pairings that may include wine, saké or beer ($198). Kinch composes the meal from seasonal ingredients, perhaps utilizing seaweed, buckwheat or duck, and maybe green tea, bay scallop or venison. Local farms supply most of the restaurant’s produce, conceptually represented in Kinch’s evolved, star dish, “Into the Vegetable Garden” --- it’s like getting the chef’s credo on a plate. Expect a holistic composition of the garden’s offerings that day, such as flowers, roots, stems, shoots, seeds, herbs and more substantial produce; the components might be raw or cooked and have varying degrees of temperature. The wine list evokes a lovely sense of place with the inclusion of local makers, as well as selections sourced worldwide; Manresa's lounge is the spot for an extravagant, pre-dinner cocktail before your party is seated. The interior's welcoming contemporary feel is imbued with the warmth and bones of its original, 1940's ranch-style building, including the open-beam ceiling, mosaic-tiled fireplace and gently curved walls.